[Rorschach112]

I would get SpywareBlaster, but leave SpywareGuard

[Advertisements]

hi
I have bought super anti spyware pro but will this now clash with spyware guard

[scrivs9]

hi
I have bought super anti spyware pro but will this now clash with spyware guard

[Rorschach112]

Possibly. I'd recommend removing SpywareGuard for as long as you have the pro version of SUPERAntiSpyware

[perryme1]

Fantastic guide. I am in the middle of following the recommendations and I have a few questions:

1) Does SysRestorePoint provide a different function than XP's system-restore tool (Accessories-->System Tools-->System Restore)?
2) If I use SysRestorePoint, does it not backup the registry, too? So then I do not need ERUNT, do I?
3) Avast! has a feature called "Resident Protection." Is that real-time protection? If so, should I turn it off and use SpywareGurad, instead?

Thanks,
Mark

[Rorschach112]

Q1 - No it does the exact same thing, its just easier and faster.
Q2 - No it doesn't do that, you definitely need ERUNT as well
Q3 - Yes that is real-time protection, use that and leave SpywareGuard

[stillwaters]

Hi!

Great guide, I learned a lot from it! I hope you don't mind answering a couple of questions.

1. Do you recommend adding ERUNT to the startup folder? Will this take up a lot of hard disk space?
2.Is the protection offered by SpywareGuard similar to WinPatrol? What about Comodo Defense+?
3. If my ISP has antivirus, do I need OpenDNS? I noticed the free version doesn't include Malware Site Protection. Is it still better? If I get it can I stop paying for antivirus from my ISP? (not on my computer)
4.Is FileHippo Update Checker better than Secunia PSI?

I've been fascinated by online virus removal for years now, and I'm really excited to start training. I'm just trying to learn all I can about computer security.

Thank you for your help and expertise!

[Rorschach112]

Q1 - I don't recommend it, but I don't think its a bad idea either. I have no idea how much space it will take up
Q2 - Yes it is, I don't know what Comodo Defense+ is though
Q3 - Yes, OpenDNS has nothing to do with having an anti-virus. Its a security setting
Q4 - Yes and easier to use

[stillwaters]

Thanks for replying!

Comodo defense+ is the hips component of the Comodo firewall.

Can you explain what OpenDNS does? I just want to understand it.

[chamber]

OpenDNS

[stillwaters]

I think I got it now. Thank You.

[Sam42]

Does Avast have a real-time anti-spyware function that will conflict with Spyware Guard? Does Avast have a firewall that will conflict with another Firewall program (Sunbelt for example)?

I am running Avast, Spyware Guard, and Sunbelt Firewall, per this article. The Avast icon says there is an online scanner with 6 of 7 providers running. There is also a seperate icon for an Avast "Virus Recovery Database Generator".

With all these things running, I am having serious issues with my internet, e.g, cannot connect to yahoo email at all. I have windows defender and windows firewall disabled.

Any thoughts much appreciated.

[Rorschach112]

As far as I know Avast does not have real-time anti-spyware protection, nor a firewall

If you are having net issues, then try removing some programs, even when they are disabled they can still be running in the background.

[Sam42]

Thanks Rorschach. But you responded earlier to someone conforming that Avast! has a feature called "Resident Protection" which is real-time protection that could possibly conflict with spyware guard -- or at least you recommended not using spyware guard in that example.

Does that mean Avast does in fact have real-time protection? And if so, do you hold to your previous recommendation to run Avast's resident protection and disable Spayware Guard completely?

Also, have you encountered any conflicts/issues with the security programs you recommend and Microsoft's Data Execution Prevention (DEP) settings. I am getting some DEP alerts that are shutting down IE.

Edited by Sam42, 18 January 2010 - 07:29 PM.

[Rorschach112]

Forgot about that. Yes you would be better off not having spywareguard or windows defender installed to be safe. Seems Avast has you covered in that regard


I have seen those DEP errors before, I am not sure how to fix them really. Sometimes they can be caused by malware or security program conflicts

[aaron08]

hi Rorschach112,

in your expert opinion, do you think windows 7 firewall with vista firewall control is good enough? is it significantly weaker than the 3rd party firewalls you recommended in your original post?